The present invention relates to an improvement in a disposable diaper which allows a user to wrap and seal the diaper when soiled.
More particularly, the present invention relates to a diaper with an attached diaper wrapper, permitting the user to enclose and seal the diaper prior to disposal to avoid mess and odor.
Disposable diapers are well known in the art. Such diapers include a front waistband region, a back waistband region, and an intermediate region with two laterally opposed side margins interconnecting the front and back waistband regions. The intermediate region of the diaper has a liquid pervious liner, a liquid impervious backsheet and an absorbent core disposed between the liner and the backsheet.
When soiled by a wearer, the disposable diaper is normally disposed of by folding or rolling it into a packet which contains the liquid and/or solid waste and then dropping it into a liquid-impervious plastic trash bag. This disposal method is quite satisfactory if a trash container with a trash bag liner is close at hand. However, a diaper must often be changed, and the soiled diaper disposed of, while the wearer is in transit and such a trash bag is not readily available.
Various attempts have been made to design disposable diapers with an integrated means for wrapping and sealing the diaper when it is soiled. One such means is disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,923,455 entitled “Disposable Diaper with Integral Disposal Envelope”. This patent teaches attaching an “envelope” or bag-shaped container to one side of the diaper. When the diaper is soiled, it is folded and inserted inside the envelope. The edge of the envelope is provided with a seam that serves to close and seal the bag when the used diaper is inserted.
Disposable diapers with this type of wrapping device have not seen common commercial use because they add substantially to the cost of producing the diaper and are somewhat cumbersome to use.